Parents accused of murder ignore each other in court

By CHRIS DOUCETTE, QMI Agency

BRAMPTON, Ont. - If Tiffany Gayle were still alive she'd be writing her high school exams this week.

Instead, it's the slain 15-year-old's parents -- her dad Fredrick, 42, and stepmother Elizabeth, 43 -- who are now being tested.

With their freedom hanging in the balance, the couple began an arduous journey through the judicial process facing murder charges on Wednesday.

"It has been a pretty traumatic experience," defence attorney Don McLeod said outside the Brampton courthouse, while waiting for his client and her husband to make their first appearance.

McLeod refused to talk about the allegations against the couple but did say they most likely would still be behind bars when Tiffany is laid to rest.

The couple was remanded in custody and is expected to appear in court again on July 6.

Peel police were called to the Gayle family home on Savita Rd., near Sandalwood Pkwy. and McLaughlin Rd., shortly before 9 a.m. Saturday.

Inside, officers found the teen's lifeless body. She had apparently been beaten to death.

Investigators have described the girl's injuries as "alarming and excessive." Fredrick and Elizabeth are each charged with second-degree murder.

The husband and wife have separate lawyers and when they were led into the courtroom in handcuffs Wednesday they sat at opposite ends of the prisoner's box.

During their bail hearing, neither the husband nor the wife attempted to make eye contact with the other.

And the religious couple never looked out into the courtroom at the group of parishioners from the Malton Seventh Day Adventist church.

There were few friends on hand for the murdered girl.

Even at Tiffany's high school, Fletcher's Meadow Secondary, where a makeshift memorial has been set up in the hall, few people seem to have really known the girl.

Neighbours have said they often saw Tiffany playing outside with her little brother, believed to be 7 and named after his father.

But nobody can recall ever seeing friends visit her at her home.

A Facebook group has been set up but most of the messages from the nearly 1,000 people who had joined as of Wednesday start with: "I did not know Tiffany."

Many were from young people wondering how it could be possible for parents to be accused of doing such harm to their child.

From: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/06/15/14400046.html